(Sorry about the lack of paragraphing in this post, something funny is up with WordPress 😦 )
If I were to make one generalisation about South Africans it would be that they LOVE their meat. They have it in all sorts of forms; dried, barbequed, casseroled, I’m sure the list goes on. Not being a big meat eater it was, at first, a bit of a shock to see so much of the stuff but now I have acclimatised and have some personal favorites:
1. Biltong – a cured meat, eaten as a snack.
2. Barbequed. Every Wednesday the hostel has a braai which is always delicious and a perfect evening for carnivores.
As is Mzolis, a famous weekend braai in a township called Gugulethu. Not only do they have meat here but beer, music and dancing too. I went a couple of weeks ago and had SO MUCH FUN.
Townships were created during the apartheid era and black and coloured people forcibly moved into them. They are a reminder of the separation that occurred during apartheid and of the inequality that still remains between different racial groups.
Some housing within the township is well built, with running water, electricity and gardens while some is shack style accommodation with few services. People living in these areas often face a wide variety of challenges from lack of sanitation, to high unemployment and health issues such as TB and AIDS. At the same time the communities are often close knit and there is a vibrant feel to them.
Recently I took a trip with a local artist from “A Word of Art” to see some projects going on in a township called Khayelitsha. AWOA “believes in connecting people through creative practices to help effect social change on a local, national and global scale.” Both locals and artists from outside get involved to create murals that explore issues in the community and encourage social change.
It is really nice to see community initiatives like this, something that the city seems to be pretty big on. Good work Cape Town.
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